The International Union of Railways (UIC) and the South East Europe Strategic Alliance for Rail Innovation (SEESARI) held a joint conference at the Metropol Hotel in Belgrade. The conference motto was “Driving the Future of Rail: Connectivity, Sustainability and Digital Transformation”. The event represented another effort by UIC to connect the Western Balkans region with the countries of Central Europe, the Mediterranean, and Turkey. It also provided an excellent networking opportunity, bringing together representatives of regional transport ministries, railway infrastructure managers, financial institutions, as well as companies from the railway industry and logistics sector from more than 12 countries.
Speakers from the Ministry of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure of the Republic of Serbia, Serbian Railway Infrastructure, Railways of Republika Srpska, and the Ministry of Infrastructure of the Republic of Slovenia presented ongoing and planned infrastructure projects in their respective countries, highlighting the importance of regional connectivity and the integration of local railway networks into the wider European railway network.
Representatives of the World Bank (WB), the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), and the French Development Agency (Agence Française de Développement – AFD) presented financing opportunities and programmes they are implementing in the region, as well as the expert support these financial institutions provide.
Representatives of private logistics companies pointed to the issues and bottlenecks preventing a greater shift of freight transport from road to rail. The main problems identified were border crossings and customs administrative procedures, which lead to long waiting times at borders and significantly hamper the transport of goods by rail. Other challenges mentioned included infrastructure bottlenecks, such as inconsistent axle load standards across railway networks and the lack of electrification at key locations, such as the Batajnica intermodal terminal.
The conference concluded with presentations of innovative technologies that will be used in the future, including satellite positioning systems, digital automatic train coupling, and other digital solutions aimed at improving the efficiency, safety, and interoperability of railway transport.
